Lacrosse shot training goal

ABSTRACT

A semi-rigid but movable target to be used when practicing lacrosse. The target includes a hoop which is mounted at the top of a pole and is vertical, flat, and includes a resilient face stretched over a hoop. The resilient face includes a plurality of high tension strands strung between a rim or frame for bouncing a ball back toward the practicing player. The bottom of the pole includes a spiral or screw auger anchor which allows the pole to be anchored into the ground.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/493,995 filed on Jul. 25, 2016 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of practice targets for use by lacrosse players.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lacrosse is a contact team sport played between two teams using a small rubber ball which is about two and one half inches in diameter and weighs about five ounces, and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick. It is considered a rough sport where players can slash and body check. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh designed to catch and hold the lacrosse ball. The objective of the game is to score by shooting the ball into an opponent's goal past the goalie, using the lacrosse stick to catch, cradle, and pass the ball. Defensively, the objective is to keep the other team from scoring and steal the ball through the use of stick checking and body contact or positioning. The four major types of lacrosse are: men's field lacrosse, women's lacrosse, box lacrosse and inter-crosse. The sport consists of four positions: midfield, attack, defense and goalie. In field lacrosse, attack-men are primarily offensive players trying to score, defenders are primarily defensive players trying to prevent the attack-men from scoring, and the goalie is the last line of defense, directly defending the goal. Mid-fielders or “middies” can go anywhere on the field and play offense and defense. Long stick middies only play defense and come off of the field on offense.

Each player carries a lacrosse stick. A “short stick” measures between 40 and 42 inches long (head and shaft together) and is typically used by attackers or mid-fielders. A maximum of four players on the field per team may carry a “long stick” which is 52 to 72 inches long and is typically used by defenders or mid-fielders.

The head of the stick on both long and short sticks must be 6.5 inches or larger at its widest point. The throat of the lacrosse head for college must be at least three inches wide. For high school play, there is no minimum width at its narrowest point; the only provision is that the ball must roll out unimpeded. The designated goalkeeper is allowed to have a stick from 40 inches 72 in long and the head of a goalkeeper's stick may measure up to 12 in wide, significantly larger than field players' heads, to assist in blocking shots.

The field of play is 110 yards long and 60 yards wide. The goals are a six feet by six feet square. The goal sits inside a circular “crease” measuring 18 feet in diameter. Each offensive and defensive area is surrounded by a “restraining box.” Each quarter, and after each goal is scored, play is restarted with a face-off. During a face-off, two players lay their sticks horizontally next to the ball. The head of the stick is inches from the ball and the butt-end points down the midfield line. Face-off-men scrap for the ball, often by “clamping” it under their stick and flicking it out to their teammates. Attackers and defenders cannot cross their “restraining line” until one player from the midfield takes possession of the ball or the ball crosses the restraining line.

Even though the goal is six feet tall by six feet wide, more precise ball tosses are important when passing and fielding the ball. Therefor, tossing or throwing accuracy is essential and practice is important and necessary.

Conventional lacrosse aids typically teach throwing the ball through a hoop. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,334 teaches a hoop vertically suspended between two poles with a flexible net attached around the hoop; U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,199 teaches a target net with adjustable angle of inclination and height; U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,858 teaches a movable target including a bag for catching and holding a ball; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20150031480 teaches a game wherein a ball is hurled at a staff including three separate targets through which the ball passes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a lacrosse trainer comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially a resilient face formed from strands of a polymer such as nylon stretched tightly over a hoop of a selected diameter and shape. The hoop is vertical with respect to the ground and is rigidly attached to a top end of a vertical longitudinal pole. The pole includes an auger comprising a helical sleeve coaxially enclosing a distal end of the pole is attached providing a helical spiral tipped auger. The shaft is rotated so that the bottom end of the pole is screwed into the ground. Alternatively, a stand may used to support the pole. The hoop having a selected diameter which is typically one to two feet in diameter and the pole is one to five feet high.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lacrosse practice target which is removably installed in the ground and includes a removable target face.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lacrosse practice target which includes a target face stretched tightly across a hoop held at the top of a vertical pole and wherein the vertical pole is provided with a spiral or threaded bottom tip.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lacrosse practice target which wherein the target face consists of a resilient material stretched over a vertical hoop.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lacrosse practice target which wherein the target face is optionally removable and the hoop supports the open end of a mesh net or mesh bag which catches and holds a plurality of lacrosse balls or includes an open end to retain and guide or funnel the balls into a container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hoop or rim frame having openings therein for threading an interior cord attachment assembly including a peripheral rope or cord or cable spaced apart from and extending around the inner periphery of the hoop frame providing an attachment point for net, flap, or panel connection with carabinders, clips, or other holding means whereby the inner peripheral cord attachment assembly has a plurality of tension strands removably attachable thereto with grommets at selected positions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a target flap face which flips up when hit by a ball, wherein the target face may include coaxial circles or other target indicia imprinted on the target face.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a telescoping pole for adjustable length.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hoop having a coupling for cooperatively engaging a corresponding top distal end of the support shaft.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a longitudinal pole which may be attached in sections having cooperatively mating distal ends and retaining means such as pins or detents.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a telescoping support shaft as an option wherein the shaft comprises one or more coaxial sliding members which may be held in position by rotatable friction means or pins extending there through or even threaded sections or sections including an lug end for cooperatively engaging a enlarged diameter corresponding end or end having a coupler attached thereto.

It is another object of the present invention to provide that the frame or hoop extends in vertical alignment with the pole.

It is another object of the present invention to provide that the frame or hoop extends at a selected angle of from 160 to 180 degrees with respect to the vertical pole and more preferably from 170 to 180 degrees with respect to the vertical pole and more preferably either 170 or 180 degrees depending upon whether a net or basket is utilized with the pole.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lacrosse target which utilizes a shaft removably supported in the ground by an auger or on a flat surface such as pavement or a gym floor by a support stand having a plurality of legs for supporting the pole.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a lacrosse shot training device including a hoop having a net, hoop having a net with a target flap, hoop having a spring loaded rebounder net, and/or a mesh bucket.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent with the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the views wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a elongated shaft or pole of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a helical spiral auger providing a coaxial sleeve for attachment to the bottom distal end of the pole of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the auger shown in FIG. 2 disposed on the distal end of the shaft shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a stand having spaced apart radially extending legs supporting a coupling means comprising a sleeve for holding the pole;

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged portion of the lower portion of the pole and the horizontal bores therethrough for alignment of the pole and holding a removable rotating tool;

FIG. 6 shows a hoop frame including a coupling for attachment to a top distal end of a pole and wrapping around the hoop frame;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the hoop frame of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hoop frame of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view showing the pole having an auger on the bottom end and a hoop frame at the top end including a mesh net;

FIG. 10 is a front view of a target face for placement in the hoop frame including grommets spaced apart for attachment to a top portion of the attachment assembly extending around the inner periphery of the hoop frame;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a target face having concentric rings and a bulls eye;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a target training device including a pole having an helical auger and a hoop frame with an inner corded attachment assembly holding a target flap by upper spaced apart grommets and a mesh net extending from the rear end of the hoop frame;

FIG. 13 shows a mesh panel supported within the hoop frame by an inner attachment cord assembly;

FIG. 14 shows the mesh panel of FIG. 13 disposed within a hoop frame providing a resilient face having tension strands or strings for rebounding or deflecting training device for deflecting the ball back toward the player or another portion of the field;

FIG. 15 shows a front view of a hoop frame for a basket attachable to the hoop frame;

FIG. 16 is a side view showing the hoop frame having an angle of 170 degrees with respect to the attachment coupling and vertical pole;

FIG. 17 shows a perspective view of the hoop frame of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 shows a perspective view of a basket for attachment to the hoop frame and the basket having a mesh retainer forming a curved lip around the outer periphery of the hoop frame;

FIG. 19 is a top view of FIG. 18; and

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the hoop frame basket of shown in FIGS. 18 and 19.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

As used herein, the term “about” can be reasonably appreciated by a person skilled in the art to denote somewhat above or somewhat below the stated numerical value, to within a range of +10%.

The present invention may be formed from aluminum, steel, stainless steel, fiberglass, graphite or composite fiber material, plastic and/or combinations thereof.

In accordance with the present invention, FIGS. 1-20 show lacrosse training device 10, have a mesh net 18 removably attaching to a hoop frame or rim frame 12, vertically supported by a longitudinal pole 16 with a helical auger sleeve 22 attached to the bottom distal end portion 21 of the pole to rotatably anchor the pole to the ground. The helical auger sleeve 22 includes a top end 24 which extends coaxially around a bottom portion of the pole 16 t and the auger sleeve 22 includes a top portion 24 extending from a selected position 17 on a bottom end of the pole 16 and having a bottom portion 27 projecting pass the distal end portion 21 of the pole 16 terminating in a tip 23 providing a rigid but removable attachment to the ground. One of more horizontal through holes 25 are formed near the bottom of the pole for insertion of a tool for rotating the pole and for alignment of the pole with the auger. Moreover, the holes 25 may be used for supporting the pole and auger assembly in a sleeve or collar 70 having corresponding holes 72 and a plurality of spaced apart legs 73 of a support stand 75 for use on solid surfaces such as pavement or a gym floor.

The hoop frame 12 has a diameter of a selected size of preferably between one to two feet and is typically oriented in a vertical position at the top of the pole 16. The hoop 12 is rigidly attached to the top end of the longitudinal pole 16. Another embodiment of the present invention includes a hoop 12 which is removable and is assembled to the top end of the pole 16 by screwing a threaded portion of the hoop 12 into a threaded hole in the end of the pole 16. The hoop may also include an attachment formed from a distal end as a lug for cooperative engagement with a coupling on the pole, or the hoop frame may include a coupling 45 for cooperative engagement with a lug 31 extending from a top distal end of the pole 16. As shown, the hoop frame is generally a circular, oval, or tear drop shape. The hoop frame may include a cover including a cushioning material and be applied to the hoop frame with tape or other means.

The hoop 12, pole 16 and spiral tip end 22 are preferably one contiguous piece and is made from a strong, rigid material such as steel or aluminum. Other materials such as fiberglass, graphite composite material, wood and combinations thereof are acceptable.

The pole 16 is preferably one to five feet in height providing a target which is in the range of one to six feet high and may be telescopic or formed in mating sections 51, 52, 53 for providing an adjustable height and collapsible assembly for transport or storage. The shaft may be formed of a single length of material or provide a telescoping support shaft as an option wherein the shaft comprises one or more coaxial sliding members which may be held in position by rotatable friction means or pins extending there through or even threaded sections or sections including an lug end for cooperatively engaging a enlarged diameter corresponding end or end having a coupler attached thereto.

A spring rebounder assembly includes a mesh or corded panel 14 stretched across the front of the hoop 12. The hoop frame 12 includes a plurality of aligned and spaced apart apertures for threading an interior cord attachment assembly including a peripheral rope or cord or cable spaced apart from and extending around the inner periphery of the hoop frame providing an attachment point for net, flap, or panel connection with carabinders, clips, or other holding means whereby the inner peripheral cord attachment assembly has a plurality of tension strands removably attachable thereto with grommets at selected positions. The inner peripheral attachment assembly or rope binding assembly 34 includes tension members or strands 35 stretched tightly around the hoop frame 12 forming an interior perimeter or circle supports a centered resilient face 14. When a ball is thrown by a player it strikes the resilient face 14 and bounces back toward the user or is deflected in another direction depending upon the angle of the shot. The tension of the strands can be selected to provide a sweet spot which provides the greatest rebound to the ball toward the player.

The resilient face 26 of the rebounder assembly is stretched over the inner peripheral corded or rope attachment ring 34 using at at least three spring clips or other means of holding which are used to engage the hoop 12 and hold the resilient face flap 41 over the front of the hoop 12 when a user wants the trainer to bounce the ball back to him during practice. In other words, the resilient face flap 41 covers the opening of the mesh bag 18 and allows the ball to bounce back to the user. Alternative forms of attachments such as string ties, hook and loop fasteners, elastic bands, friction fit, clips, and snap connectors can be used in place of the spring clips.

The resilient face 14 may comprise a cross-hatched patchwork of tightly laced strings or cords, and can be strung in a similar manner as a racket, stretched tightly over the hoop or a rim frame 12. When a lacrosse ball strikes the tightly stretched face 14, the ball bounces back toward the player. An alternative embodiment has a resilient face which is a somewhat elastic or elastomeric fabric such as SPANDEX or vinyl, rather than a patchwork or mesh formed of cords.

A face flap 41 may be inserted into the open end of a mesh bag 18 attached around the circumference of the hoop frame 12, with the open end of the bag 18 facing the player. The face flap is pivotally held to the inner peripheral corded attachment assembly 34 by threading cords through spaced apart grommets 33 arranged across the top portion of the attachment assembly 34. In this manner, the player can shoot the ball into the hoop 12, and the ball will then be caught and held in the bag 18. In yet another embodiment, a bull's eye target 20 is hingedly attached to the top portion of the hoop 12 so that when a ball hits the bull's eye target 20, the target swings back and the ball falls into the bag 18. The bull's eye target face flap 41 is smaller than the opening of the hoop 12 so that the face flap target 41 can swing in and out.

It is contemplated that a swivel bracket of other adjustment means can be used to connect the hoop to the pole in order that the hoop can be angled upward at a selected angle with respect to the pole. As shown in FIGS. 15-20, a cylindrical basket 62 is attached to the hoop frame 12 at an angle of about 170 degrees and angled backward with respect to the vertical pole. The basket is about 18 inches deep and has a radius of about 15 inches. Mesh surrounds the basket frame comprising a top rim 63 and bottom rim 65 connected by a support strip 66. The mesh surrounds the top rim 63.

The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modification will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, this invention is not intended to be limited by the specific exemplification presented herein above. Rather, what is intended to be covered is within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. A lacrosse shot training device comprising: a resilient face stretched tightly over a hoop of a selected diameter, said hoop vertically and rigidly attached to a top end of a vertical longitudinal pole, said pole having a spiral tipped bottom end enabling said bottom end to be screwed into ground, said hoop frame being one to two feet in diameter and said pole being one to five feet high.
 2. The lacrosse shot training device of claim 1 wherein said hoop having an open end of a bag stretched around and attached to a circumference of said hoop frame.
 3. The lacrosse shot training device of claim 1, wherein a ring with a diameter equal to a diameter of said hoop and having a resilient face tightly stretched there-over and attached thereto, is pivotally supported by a top portion of said hoop frame. 